BLOGBACK – This terrible assault should serve as another alarm to DoD leadership. While it is impossible to know conclusively the ‘why’ behind the violence recorded on the cab’s dash cam, it is likely — perhaps extremely likely — that the gunnery sergeant suffers after effects of his combat experiences overseas. Many who have little insight into what it’s like to serve during intense sustained combat may call for this Marine to be locked up and forgotten. However, there should be some pause before such conclusions. Easily missed is the fact that many troops experience behavioral impairments that result from irreversible physical changes that occur inside key parts of the brain during combat. The gunnery sergeant is reported to be an instructor at the Marine Corps Special Operations Command. He was awarded the Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal for combat valor in November 2010. There has been no shortage of reports chronicling the heavy stigma facing troops who seek out treatment for neuropsychiatric injuries. This is especially true within the special operations community. A Camp Lejeune psychiatrist was recently fired for making public allegations of serious mental health care deficiencies at the base. There was also a DoD investigation at Camp Lejeune that uncovered major problems with care for wounded Marines there, including those with psychiatric wounds. This information is not insignificant and should be considered as this crime is investigated. Also of note, a fundraising effort is underway to help the cab driver with his medical expenses.

SURF CITY – Authorities in Onslow County said the Camp Lejeune Marine wanted for an assault on a taxi driver over the weekend has turned himself into a mental health facility.

Charles Hawkesworth, 26, was so severely beaten by an enraged Marine gunnery sergeant assigned to a Camp Lejeune special operations unit that he will need facial reconstruction surgery. The assault was captured on dash cam video Sept. 9, 2012, and shows the 30-year-old Adam Kinosh, a multi-tour combat-decorated Marine commando, accusing Hawkesworth of cheating him over a cab fare. Kinosh then snaps into a violent assault, leaving the cabbie severely injured with multiple skull and facial fractures. Police say Kinosh faces misdemeanor assault charges upon his release from a Wilmington, N.C., psychiatric care facility.

Video released from a Surf City Cab Company shows the brutal beating of one of its drivers over the weekend.

Police have identified the suspect from the video as 30-year-old Adam Kinosh. Officials say Kinosh is a Gunnery Sergeant stationed at Camp Lejeune.

Surf City police said that Gy. Sgt. Kinosh was picked up at the Trailer Bar at one a.m. on Sunday. The alleged attack occurred nearby at 1816 North New River Street in Surf City.

The video was released by Island Taxi Cab Company owner Rex Bowen. “In a million years, I’d never thought one of the customers would attempt to beat and kill one of my drivers,” said Bowen.

The driver of that cab has been identified as Charles Hawkesworth, 26. Bowen says Hawkesworth has multiple facial fractures.

Investigators believe Kinosh thought he was being ripped off on the cab fare and that’s what led to the assault. Kinosh has been charged with misdemeanor assault inflicting serious injury and communicating threats.

8 Responses

To Anonymous on Aug 10 … Thanks for your contribution, although it is hard to truly know if it is valid or accurate because we know very little about this terrible violent assault other than what was initially reported. I know of no reporting follow-ups … even though there may be something available to help understand more of what happened. In my own best judgement, seems obvious he had some impairment of his part of the brain which controls mood and impulse and anger response. I would not be surprised to learn he indeed has such a diagnosis. But we just do not know. There is technology — FMRI — which clearly shows brain function, and can rule out such disorders. It is fascinating what can be known of the brain function under such exams. I would wager significant money his came back impaired executive function (limbic system injury). Likely a CTE-like or Nuerotoxic origin.

I agree with Biff, this is clearly not a case of PTSD, I also know several Marines with PTSD symptoms. When someone has an “episode” if you wanna call it that there is a trigger… Something that puts them back in a stressful or life threatening situations they experienced in combat… I dont see anything that tripped this guys switch. This guy is CLEARLY intoxicated and has a power complex. He should do his time in the brig then be handed over to civilian law enforcement for another sentence

While it may be true the gunnery sergeant had not manifested any obvious symptoms of psychiatric impaiment while under observation by subordinates, peers or his leaders, this is not the same thing as having been examined by a physchiatrist or psychologist who would be able to collect a complete and accurate history in a clinical setting. Only after such a detailed exam by a qualified expert in this special area of medicine, could psychiatric injury be ruled out. I don’t believe coworkers serving in a military unit are in any position to diagnose or rule out such complicated medical conditions related to the mind. Your comment reflects a position shared by many other people angry at what the video shows. There is great value and wisdom to holding such opinions until a thorough and accurate investigation is completed. Any person serving at this Marine’s rank and in the kind of unit to which he belongs has very likely been exposed to sustained heavy combat over multiple deployments. While the attack on a smaller and totally innocent man is horrible — and certainly a crime — one must consider his combat history and psychiatric impairment involved.

This Marine should be locked up and forgotten. This is not a case of PTSD. That is a Marine with a power complex and sense of entitlement. As a Marine myself, I know what PTSD looks like. It doesn’t look like a drunk ass hat with a complex. I have worked for and with tyrants like Gunnery Sergeant Kinosh, I can also tell you first hand that this is not PTSD. He merely checked himself in to the “wizard” to escape responsibility for his actions. Burn him!

This marine has trained and operated with hindreds of real hardcore recon marines he is a sharp and calculated operator he is also being exposed as a recon marine who has PTSD when really he might have just simply been drink and pussed off sorry if the hands that protect you from evil are hard and heavy maybe our citizens should be tougher and should not be trying to drive him the long way home to make an extra buck who is more honorable someone who stands up for getting fucked over or a cabbie who tried to exploit a drunk service member kinosh has been the role model for recon marines his whole life and has been key to our safety on our home soil respect him

Oh my god, you are absolutely right!!!! I guess ol’ Gunny had every right to beat up a guy half his size! Wow, what was I thinking? Sorry buddy, the PTSD defense is not going to fly. If you knew how to read, you would notice that I am a Marine myself. I have very close friends that suffer from severe PTSD. I can also tell you from my own experiences that PTSD does not make a person do this. Gunnery Sergeant Kinosh is a drunkard and a bully. Respect? I respect those who deserve it…..and this gentleman (if you can call him that) deserves none of mine. Think before you type my friend.

I can’t imagine how low your IQ is, you ignorant moron. He hasn’t saved anything in his life; I bet he’s even thrown a puppy off a roof. I’m not gonna respect someone that blatantly assaults somebody clearly weaker than him (which is pathetic, by the way), then starts yelling “you assaulted me” to make himself look like he defended himself (can’t accept his actions; again, very pathetic), and THEN hides behind false PTSD because he’s too afraid to go to prison. How can you respect such a weakling? “Safety on our home soil,” how laughable; you do realize him being a marine hasn’t made the US any safer. In fact, because of his little act, he’s proved that there’s another reason to feel unsafe. Now anybody that charges money, whether it’s a pizza guy or, I don’t know… maybe a cab driver: They all have to worry that they’re going to do business for this mindless, malevolent, uncaring, idiotic, waste of space, worthless, pathetic, and most certainly weak freak of nature that should be pissed on by diseased monkeys, followed by lynched and skewered for said monkeys to eat (which I, and probably thousands of others, would love to see).